Millennial Mage - Chapter 369: Dependable, Reliable, and Useful

Tala and Rane rose well before sunrise, meeting up in a rarely used gazebo among the gardens of the sanctum.

Mistress Petra had made a large spread of food for them, most of which was for Tala.

Rane had set his Archival slate aside to critically eye the omelet that had been set before him, “This has some of my magic within it.”

“Hmm?” Tala glanced his way, distracted by what her expanded sight had been showing her within Kit, and her still increasing mental enhancement. She felt like it was close to a tipping point, where it would leap ahead to where it would settle until her scripts were changed again. For the time being, however, it was like her head was slowly clearing of fog she hadn’t noticed clouding her mind.

She sat slightly stoneward of superficial, within the spatially expanded sanctum. Thus, her clusters of bloodstars that resided stoneward and starward of her own position didn’t need to move even as she did.

They rested outside of the increment that was spatially expanded for Kit’s contents.

She had tested it, and when she willed for herself to move within Kit, she would bob starward, as if moving toward Kit’s anchor at the superficial, then come back down wherever she’d wished to be.

Additionally, she was still able to see what was going on outside Kit’s door as easily as if she stood there herself, save that her mundane vision wasn’t receiving any light.

She could have moved one or more of her bloodstars into the superficial to gain access to that sight, but she had no need at the moment.

Though, it would likely only look like a bit of red coloring on the door. Probably worth experimenting with in the future.

Her increased ability to process her sight meant that she could see almost the entirety of the sanctum at once, though she purposely didn’t allow her mind to process what she perceived around the other people within, trying to give them their privacy.

She’d been able to look around Kit’s interior for a while, given her connection with Kit, but it had been a much more selective thing, requiring attention and a specific area to focus on.

At the moment, she could simply see it all.

She wasn’t focused on any of it, just like she wasn’t focused on the street outside of Kit’s door, but she had a sense of what was going on, like she had looked at it just a moment before.

It was overall an odd situation.

Io’s still doing nothing.

-I would have told you if that changed.-

Still… somewhat disappointing.

Terry was curled on one of the other chairs in the structure, content just to be nearby.

Rane shifted to face her more fully. “I was saying that this omelet has some of my magic within it.”

Tala glanced at the egg dish, confirming what he said. “So it does.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “These are fresh eggs.”

She shrugged, “I would assume that they are. Mistress Petra is very particular about the ingredients that she uses.”

“How? My birthday was…” He seemed to be calculating. “That can’t be right. Was it exactly one hundred and sixty days ago?”

Tala considered. “Yeah. That is pretty funny. Happy almost half-birthday, I guess?”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not my point.”

She took a bite of her own omelet, infused with various dollops of magic mirroring her own by way of the eggs and vegetables. “What’s your point then?”

“How do you have these?”

“Well, when a rooster doesn’t love a hen very much—”

He glared at her, and she chuckled.

“Fine, fine. We have some chickens left over, and Mistress Petra noticed that for some, your magics came through to the ‘next generation.’ Though, in this case, the eggs are unfertilized. Hence my previous comment about the rooster.”

Rane gave her a flat look, which was better than the glare of moments previous, “Do I want to know how many birds you went through for that little project of yours?”

Tala considered, then shrugged. “Honestly? No. I think not.”

It was his turn to laugh, the mock seriousness he’d been trying to cultivate shattering. “Fine. I suppose I did ask. Keep your secret.”

They continued their meal in companionable silence.

Tala was continuing to explore parts of her newly coherent vision and expanded mind.

Rane was reading something on his Archive slate.

Each of them tossed pieces of mundane food outward at random for Terry, and though he never seemed to move, the flickers of dimensional power and vanishing food told the true story.

With Tala’s new sight, she was starting to put together a theory about Terry’s teleportation and size changing, but it wasn’t solidified yet.

He definitely wasn’t moving to another increment of any spatial axis that she could perceive in order to somehow bridge the distance.

I’ll figure you out, Terry. Then we’ll see how it goes in the ring.

When they finished up, Tala called the exit to them.

It was suddenly there, standing free-floating in one of the open sides of the gazebo.

Despite the visual cues, there was absolutely no change within Tala’s mage- or voidsight, and it finally clicked, something that should have been obvious the whole time.

The door is an illusion. Kit can take people in and out from and to any point within the sanctum. The door is a courtesy to let us feel like we know where we’re going. It also sets up the person to give Kit tacit permission to move them.

“Isn’t that right, Kit?” Tala muttered under her breath.

Kit did not respond.

But…

But there was something within the natural magics, encircling and making up the bones of the sanctum.

Maybe that’s it? Is that what I should be watching for?

She shook her head as Rane pulled open the door, leading the way out onto the few-day-old snow on the street outside.

Winter came and stayed early this year.

Tala pulled Kit off the random wall they’d allowed her to spread out on, near the city center.

Tala had an early appointment in the Archon Compound and didn’t see a need to find anywhere particularly special to put the entrance to her sanctum.

Rane stretched up and back beneath the now cloudless sky, then twisted to crack his back. “I’ll catch up with you later?”

Tala nodded. “Tell everyone hi from me.”

“Will do.”

When Tala had asked that they stay at least for the morning of another day, Rane had made plans to meet up with some of their old sparring partners, as well as some of his own acquaintances.

I wonder if he’ll see Mistress Aproa?

-Would you mind?-

No? Why would I?

-No reason.-

Rane smiled. “Just send me a message when you’re ready to meet up and head out.”

“You know, I can come to you. In fact, let’s do that. I’ll message you when I’m done and then come to you.”

After a moment’s hesitation, he smiled, “That sounds good. Until then, Tala.”

Rane turned and walked away, waving goodbye over his shoulder.

Tala started to wave back, then huffed a quiet laugh. He couldn’t see her either way.

“Until then… Rane.” She opened her pouch slightly. “Want to come, Terry?”

Terry flickered out to her shoulder, looked around, squawked, headbutted her cheek, then flickered back inside.

Tala chuckled, closing the pouch once again. “Fair enough.”

It was a short walk to her destination, and Tala didn’t mind the time to herself.

It has been a long time since I’ve really had that much alone time. It’s nice.

-Never alone.-

Tala huffed a laugh. You’re right. I always have myself to annoy me.

-I aim to please.-

Tala walked into the atrium and greeted the receptionist.

As she was expected, it was a quick thing before she was directed to one of the testing rooms in the underground complex.

That’s interesting.

She shrugged and nodded in acknowledgment, “Thank you. I’ll head on down.”

Without further discussion, she left the atrium and made her way to the indicated room where Mistress Ingrit and Mistress Elnea were both waiting for her.

Tala bowed to the women. “My apologies, Mistresses. I thought that I was on time.”

Mistress Elnea smiled and gave a shallow bow in return. “You are in fine form, Mistress Tala. We simply met a little earlier than the time we gave you, in order to talk through a couple of things before your arrival.”

“Oh, alright.”

The librarian gestured to the head of the Archon Council, and Mistress Elnea spoke, “First off, thank you for including me in this. I didn’t actually expect you to remember that I had asked to be notified when you considered bonding your storage pouch.”

Tala shrugged. “Well, I need expert help. I see it as a win for both of us.”

“A wonderful perspective. Regardless, as Mistress Ingrit has ensured I don’t forget, this is an opportunity well worth a tangible payment. I have arranged for such, but that will factor in later.”

Mistress Ingrit had a self-satisfied smile, and Tala found herself every more grateful for the woman. “Well, thank you. I must say, you seem both interested and knowledgeable, so I am glad to have your assistance, regardless.”

Mistress Elnea grinned. “Oh, I am; I can assure you of that. Honestly, though, this is a bit of a newer approach to things. We had not considered putting storages that acted differently into the same camp as some sapient artifacts, because they don’t really give the same impression—nor have the same style of magics—as many of those artifacts or spontaneous creations of magic that we’ve encountered elsewhere.”

Tala nodded but didn’t interject.

“So, there are three tests we can run, and if the results are as we expect, then Mistress Ingrit and I would advise that you bond your storage as soon as possible.”

Mistress Ingrit nodded. “Right now, you have a somewhat symbiotic relationship with what could be a hostile entity. The bond would stabilize the relationship between the two of you, and assure mutual cooperation going forward.” She nodded again, “That is, assuming the tests come back as expected.”

Tala frowned, “What about the issues? Will people still be able to enter Kit without…?”

“Soul bonding you? Oh yes! My apologies, we should have led with that. You see, when a standard storage is soulbound—especially if it is unmoored from the physical—the person’s soul becomes the gateway. Thus, to enter, you are essentially passing through their soul to get to the space within, or near enough… that isn’t a perfect description of what happens. Regardless, that change is what causes the bonding issue.”

Tala blinked. That actually made a lot of sense. “But that is not the case with a sentient storage?”

“Sapient. It must be sapient, not just able to receive and respond to stimulus. Sapient bits of magic have something that is enough like a soul that it cannot fully mesh with one, thus a soul-bond does not create a combining effect. Your soul never becomes a ‘pass-through-point.’”

Is that what Fannas was talking about? The core of their being that would return to the void if their magics ran out?

-That sounds likely.-

Tala nodded, asking the next obvious question, “Can Kit still be unmoored?”

“Yes, actually, but there will be a couple of differences. First, there will be a physical manifestation whenever you open the storage, seemingly appearing in thin air, rather than simply an opening into the storage.”

Tala blinked. Wait. Is that all that happens? The ‘unmooring’ is just a removal of the physical doorway or opening, making the Mage the regulator of where things go in and come out.

-Just as Kit is now.-

So, for us, the unmooring would just… She found herself nodding. It would make me the anchor, without making me the arbiter.

-The sanctum will still be stoneward, held in place by the magics bound to our soul, but the entrance will be held separate by the being that is Kit.-

“So, that’s what causes the soulbond, then? Passing through or close to the Mage’s soul?”

Mistress Ingrit nodded, “It does.”

“So it won’t be an issue?”

Mistress Elnea responded this time, “Not in the slightest.”

“And we can unmoor Kit from requiring a physical connection point?”

“We do have the magics for that. Interestingly, the third test will determine if this applies, but in some cases, dimensional storages have been able to continue to be expanded after being bound and unmoored, in certain circumstances. Given your experiences with Kit eating arcane holds, I believe that you won’t have any issues with expanding your storage after the bonding or the unmooring.”

Tala narrowed her eyes, focusing hard on how she wanted to proceed, and pouring more magic than usual into her mental enhancements to allow for quicker thinking.

Apparently, Kit was a devourling, though Tala wasn’t sure she fully trusted Fannas’s information, not yet.

Regardless, what the little silver man had said seemed to add up, aligning with what Tala had learned from elsewhere.

Kit had been a constant companion: dependable, reliable, and useful.

Tala had done her best to provide Kit with what she could, but there was more she could do.

Tala could cement their partnership as Mage and pouch, but she needed more information. She wouldn’t let the bond go forward if it would hurt Kit, or make it so she couldn’t have other people within her sanctum.

She pulled herself out of her musings and looked down at Kit on her belt. “Do you want to see what we can accomplish together, bound in purpose and power?”

Kit did not respond.

But, Tala thought she felt a hunger from the artifact.

With a grin, she poured more power into Kit, topping the artifact off once again.

Tala nodded once more, lifting her gaze to the two patiently waiting women, “Let’s do these tests. And I think there is someone else who should be present for the tests as well.”

Master Simon is going to enjoy this.

“That sounds excellent.” Mistress Elnea smiled.

“I’ll have some other questions as well, before I move forward with a soul-bond.”

“Oh? Let’s hear them now, so that I can give them due consideration.”

“Mainly: My understanding is that if I die while soul-bound to Kit, its magic will fade, and the sanctum will dissipate, correct?”

“That’s correct. My understanding is that you have something in place with the local Constructionist guild, so that those within your sanctum will not be trapped in the wilds if the worst should happen.”

“That is correct.”

“Then, that will crumble, I believe.” She chuckled. “They didn’t get quite as much time out of that investment as they’d hoped, I think. Rather lowered the odds. That said, I think that the issues that you’ve been having with teleportation into and out of Kit will be mitigated by the soul-bond, but we can discuss that in a moment.”

Tala nodded. “Alright. So, we’ll need to get the teleportation working, otherwise it won’t really be safe to have people with me, will it?”

Mistress Elnea paused to consider. “Well, they will be as safe as you are… so, likely not the safest, but you are rather robust, so there are more dangerous places in which people live and work just fine. As with all magics, however, access to the sanctum within Kit would only remain for a day after your demise, if that’s what you’re asking. The space, itself, shouldn’t degrade for a very long time, regardless.”

So, teleportation is key, and if we get it working, there will be time for it.

Satisfied with the initial answers, Tala invited Master Simon out of Kit, and they discussed the tests to be done on Kit with Mistress Ingrit and Mistress Elnea.

After the discussion, Mistress Ingrit chose to step back and return to her other duties, as Master Simon was capable of assisting during the tests.

It was also agreed that Mistress Petra and the Zuccat children shouldn’t be inside of Kit during the tests and the hopeful bonding to happen afterwards.

There shouldn’t be any danger, but there was also no reason to chance it.

Thus, Tala and Master Simon went back up to the atrium of the Archon Compound and got his family set up to spend the day in the city.

Tala let Rane know that they’d leave the next day, but that she’d still probably be able to join before the evening.

Terry came out of Kit as well, and that was that.

Upon returning to the underground testing room, Mistress Elnea checked one more time, “So, Kit is completely empty of sapient or magical creatures?”

Tala hesitated. “Well, no? Sapient and magical, yes. Or? No.”

“I assume you don’t have any other sapients in there, so what sort of magical creatures are we talking about.”

She told the woman.

“What?”

Tala shrugged. “The primary function of my sanctum was set up to be a producer of magic-laden food for my consumption, and I’ve expanded on that.”

“I see.”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

Mistress Elnea sighed. “It shouldn’t be, but it’s not the cleanest basis for testing. I do not wish to try to figure out how to remove an entire ecosystem, along with a medium-sized farm production facility.”

“Yeah, that would be unideal in my mind as well.”

Master Simon cleared his throat, interjecting with some hesitation, given his relatively low advancement, “Alright then, I think that first things first, we should address the exterior elements.”

When the two women nodded, he continued.

“Can you determine the location and attachment of the ‘return’ spellform that has been established around Kit?”

Tala titled her head to the side in thought. Alat?

-Hmmm… Oh! There it is. An inactive set of magical forms.-

Ahh, yeah. They sort of blended into the background of the magic flowing through Kit.

Mistress Elnea couldn’t easily have seen the same—even if she had magesight that worked in a way that allowed it—because it was Tala’s magic, well cemented within her aura, and thus protected from any prying eyes unless those looking intentionally breached her privacy.

“I see them. They are in place around Kit’s core, and the connection between the sanctum and her manifestation.”

Mistress Elnea smiled happily. “Wonderful. That means the removal of the permanent physical manifestation won’t trigger the latent magics. Honestly, if they had been purely embedded in the exterior of the pouch, it would have needed to be stripped out before we could unmoor the storage artifact. This is an even better case than we could have hoped.”

Master Simon was still a bit troubled. The return magics had been a safety-net for his family. It had also meant that he could more easily invite others to research with him, without having to expose them to greater danger.

Now, they would need to turn research back toward teleportation to and from the storage, but with someone as accomplished as Mistress Elnea committing to assist in that regard, he didn’t have any complaints.

The Archon Council leader cleared her throat. “With that out of the way, we need to test three things: Kit’s sapience, individual identity, and ability to consume.”

Tala felt a smile tug at her lips.

I do believe that our Kit will excel across the board.